Loan Application Redesign
Project Overview
Redesign of the loan application flow in Bank Hapoalim’s mobile app.
The original process was long and unclear, leading to early drop-off and hesitation.
The goal was to create a short, guided journey that feels clear, supportive, and aligned with both user needs and business requirements.
Context
The original loan application flow was long and fragmented, leading to early drop-off and uncertainty.
Users often abandoned the process at early stages and struggled to understand which option best suited them.
The Existing Flow
The legacy experience required multiple steps with limited guidance.
Users were asked to make high-impact decisions without clear context, reassurance, or a sense of progress.
Research & User Insights
User testing on the existing flow revealed:
Early abandonment already at the first steps
Confusion around loan options and “what is right for me”
A lack of guidance during a high-stakes financial decision
These insights highlighted the need for a more supportive, user-centered journey.
The Concept: Goal-Driven Guidance
The redesigned flow is built around user intent.
From the moment a user selects a loan goal, the entire experience adapts accordingly, including micro-copy, illustrations, animations, and tone.
The goal acts as an anchor that shapes the journey and creates a sense of continuity and relevance from start to finish.
The New UX Flow
A structured, guided journey:
Loan goal → Consent → Loan options → Summary → Completion
The flow leads users step-by-step, reducing cognitive load and helping them make confident decisions, while staying aligned with business and regulatory requirements.
Validation Through User Testing
User testing was conducted throughout the redesign process.
Insights from testing informed key UX decisions, including clearer choice framing, improved hierarchy, and better guidance at critical moments.
The result is a flow that feels calmer, clearer, and easier to complete.
Outcome
The new experience:
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Reduces early drop-off
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Clarifies decision-making
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Adapts to user intent throughout the journey
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Balances user needs with business goals
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Guides users “hand in hand” from goal selection to loan completion
Before Redesign
Long, fragmented flow with many clicks and unclear steps
Research & User Insights
User testing on the existing flow revealed two main issues:
Early abandonment at the first stages of the process
Lack of clarity around which loan option is right for the user
Users wanted to feel guided, confident, and in control — especially when making a high-stakes financial decision.
These insights became the foundation for the redesign.
Empathy Map
Says
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“I just need this loan process to be quick and simple.”
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“I’m not sure what documents I still need to upload.”
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“Why does this take so long? Can’t it be digital?”
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“I wish I could track what’s happening right now.”
Does
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Opens the banking app multiple times to check status.
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Calls the call center or visits a branch for clarification.
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Switches between web, mobile, and offline documents.
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Abandons the flow if it feels too overwhelming.
Pains
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Long, fragmented flows with repetitive steps.
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Lack of transparency about progress and timelines.
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Unclear documentation requirements.
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Inconsistent experience across digital and physical channels.
Thinks
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“Am I even eligible for this loan?”
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“If I make a mistake, will it get rejected?”
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“This app should be smarter and guide me, not confuse me.”
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“I want to feel in control of my finances.”
Feels
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Frustrated by unclear instructions.
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Anxious about approval/rejection.
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Overwhelmed by jargon and lengthy forms.
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Relieved when the interface feels simple, human, and consistent.
Gains
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A clean, guided flow with clear next steps.
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Transparent progress tracker and time estimates.
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Easy document upload (camera, PDF, gallery).
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Friendly microcopy and visuals that reduce stress.
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A consistent design language that builds trust.
Design Implication
The empathy map highlights not only the functional needs (clarity, speed, transparency) but also the emotional layer, trust, confidence, and a sense of control.
This dual perspective shaped both the UX flow and the UI design choices (visual hierarchy, tone of voice, and consistency with the design system).
Project Goals
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Simplify the flow into five clear steps.
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Integrate regulatory requirements seamlessly.
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Improve transparency and user confidence.
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Ensure visual and functional consistency across channels.
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Support diverse user needs.
Design Principles
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Clarity Simple language and clean layouts.
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Consistency Alignment with the design system.
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Transparency Visible progress and summaries.
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Empathy Reduce stress through supportive microcopy and visuals.
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Flexibility Adapt to young professionals, families, and businesses.
User Journey – Before vs. After
Before (Old Flow)
Long, fragmented, many clicks, evolving screens.
Users confused about best loan option.
Regulatory steps scattered, adding friction.
Extended journey, often abandoned.
Key Improvements
Reduced complexity
and clicks
Supported decision-making with comparison tools
Balanced regulation with usability
Increased transparency and clarity
After (Redesigned Flow)
Guided, intuitive flow with five key screens.
Loan comparison:
best offer + two alternatives.
Regulatory steps integrated smoothly (goal selection + credit data consent).
Condensed flow: Goal → Consent → Loan Options → Summary → Completion.
Fast AI sketches
Streamlined five-screen journey with clarity, transparency, and guidance
UI & Visual Design
The redesign remained fully consistent with the bank’s design system in terms of components, grids, and patterns.
At the same time, I introduced a new visual layer:
custom illustrations integrated into the flow, serving not just as decoration but as part of the user experience.
To develop the visual concept efficiently, I used AI tools to accelerate sketch production and speed up alignment with stakeholders, including business teams, the design studio, and UI & visual design partners.
Each illustration was designed as a contextual background to support the user’s journey. For example, in the goal selection screen (the first step of the flow), the entire process adapts visually to the chosen purpose. If the user selects “vacation” as the goal, the flow includes travel-related elements such as a suitcase, airplane, and light, uplifting imagery. This approach added warmth, clarity, and emotional engagement to an otherwise highly technical process.
Examples of the narrative illustration for the first and last screens of the flow, in different contexts (a loan for purchasing a car, and a loan for a vacation).
Key Takeaways
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Reduced process from many steps to five streamlined screens.
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Integrated regulatory needs without harming usability.
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Added loan comparison for informed decisions.
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Increased transparency and trust with summary and completion.
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Strengthened consistency via design system alignment.
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Introduced contextual illustrations as part of the UI, adapting visuals to the user’s chosen goal (e.g., vacation elements for a travel loan), adding warmth and engagement to the flow.